Folding bed and table



(No Model.) 2 Sheets -Sheet' 1. R. VOOKE & E. LUNGSTRAS.

FOLDING BED AND TABLE- v No. 538,470! Patented Apr. 30, 1895;

2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

(No Model.)

m R S m N T 4U D & G a i E m K Ma %z@ QEM ' UNrrsD STATES PATENT @FFICE.

I v RUDOLPH VOQKE AND EWALD LUNGS'IRAS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING BED AND TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,470, dated April30, 1895.

Application filed February 25, 1895 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, RUDOLPH VooKE and EWALD LUNGSTRAS, of the city ofSt. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin a Combined Folding Bed and Table, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention relates to a combined folding bed and table, and consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts,hereinafter described and claimed.-

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of our device foldedand in the form of a table. Fig. 2 .is a longitudinal sectional view ofour device open and in the form of a, bed,the dotted lines showing theposition the folding portion of the device assumes when said device isin the form of a table. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view takenapproximately on the indicated line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and looking in thedirection as indicated by the arrow A. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of thefolding or movable portion of our device and showing the folded orpivoted legs for sustaining said folding portion. Fig. 5 is a view inperspective of one end of the foot-board we employ in carrying out ourinvention. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the end of one of thehorizontally-moving bars to which the folding legs are pivoted. Fig. 7is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately on theindicated line 7 7 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view, showingthe means we employ to rigidly position the ends of the spring-frame inproper position.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates thehead-board 0f the stationary portion of our combined folding bed andtable; 2, the side-rails thereof framed to the head-board in the usualman ner, and 3 a series of cross-bars or slats connecting the side-railsand forming the stationary framework. Said frame -work is mounted uponsuitable supporting-legs 4 that may be provided with casters, ifdesired.

The movable or folding portion of the bed comprises the foot-board 5,side-railsd fixed to said foot-board and lying in alignment with theside-rails 2, said side-rails 6 and 2 being hinged together at theirmeeting ends by Serial No. 539,648. (No model.)

meansof hinge-bars 7 fixed to the inner faces of said side-rails 6 and2. The board 8 that performs the function of atable top is located andfixed to the under sides of the foot-board 5 and side-rails 6, saidtable-top extending a slight distance beyond the end of said footboard5.

Hinged to the end of the table-top 8 that lies adjacent the forward oneof the crosspieces or slats 3 is a transversely extending bar or slat 9,to the upper face of which is rigidly fixed a series of ordinarybed-springs 10. The ends of this hinged slat 9 are constructed withV-shaped notches 11, through which the ends of the hinged-bars 7 passwhen said slat 9 is in a vertical position and the device is folded andin the form of a table.

Located on the inner faces of the side-rails 2 and 6 adjacent the headand foot-boards 1 and 5 are blocks 12 in which are formed slightrectangular notches or recesses 13.

Extending from the rails 2 and 6 on one side of the bed to the rails onthe other side and bearing upon the blocks 12 are slats or bars 14, tothe upper sides of which are fixed the ends of an ordinaryspring-mattress, such as 15. The inner faces of these slats or bars 14engage in the recesses or notches 13, and said slats 14 are held inproper position by means of buttons 16 that are pivoted by means ofscrews 17, or in any suitable manner, to the faces of the side-railsimmediately above the cross-slats or bars 14. The lower forward cornersof these buttons 16 are rounded, in order that said buttons may performthe function of eccentrics when they are manipulated so as to engageandhold the rectangular slats or bars 14in proper position. Thespringmattress 15 is secured to the upper ends of the coil-springs 10 inany suitable manner.

18 indicates metallic bars that are provided with longitudinal slots 19,and the outer ends of said bars 18 are constructed with heads or widenedportions 20 in which is located a circular aperture 21, from whichextends upwardly an angular notch or aperture 22. These bars 18 are heldfor longitudinal movement to the lower portion of the outside face ofthe foot-board 5 by means of headed bolts or screws 23 passing throughthe slots 19.

24 indicates metallic legs provided with integral heads 25.

26 indicates metallic blocks of such a size as that they will readilyturn or rotate in the circular aperture 21, and said blocks 26 are heldto the inside faces of the heads 25 of the legs 24 by means of washers27 and rivets or bolts 28 passing through said washers, blocks 26 andheads 25.

29 indicates a metallic strap that is located upon the outer face of thefoot-board 5 and in the longitudinal center thereof.

The operation is as follows: Assuming that the device has been in use asa table and itis desired to open or transform the same to be used as abed, the operator manually lifts the end of the table top adjacent thefootboard 5 and unfolds or swings the entire movable portion of thedevice over until said movable portion lies in the same horizontal planewith the immovable portion. In so unfolding or opening the device, thetransverse board or slat 9 moves along the top surface of the end one ofthe transverse slats 3 and assumes a horizontal position. Thecoilsprings 10 fastened to the upper side of the transverse board 9sustain the center of the spring-mattress 15 and does not allow the sameto sag. The legs 24 which have heretofore been folded together with theslotted bars 18 toward one another and held by the strap 29 are nowmoved away from one another and to their outward limit of movement whichbrings the heads 20 of the bars 18 outside the edges of the table-top 8,and brings the ends of the legs 24 outof engagement with the strap 29.The blocks 26 securely fixed to the heads 25 of the legs 24 now occupypositions in the circular apertures 21 in the ends of the bars 18, andsaid legs 24 are free to be moved upwardly and outwardly until theyassume vertical positions. The blocks 26 now lie in vertical planes andapproximately in the position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, andwhen said legs 24 have been brought into a vertical position, the bars18 carried by the end of the movable portion of the device will movedownwardly a slight distance with said lower end, and the notches orcutaway portions 22 will engage the blocks 26 on the heads 25 of thelegs 24. Thus said legs 24 are securely held in a vertical position andperform the function of legs as long as the device is in use as a bed.

To transform the device from a bed to a table, the operator manuallylifts the lower end of the movable portion of the device, and, in sodoing, the angular notches or cutaway portions 22 in the heads 20 of thebars 18 are moved away from the blocks 26 carried by the heads 25 of thelegs 24, and said blocks 26 will necessarily be dropped into thecircular apertures 21. The legs are now free to be moved over or foldedinto horizontal planes and lie parallel with the slotted bars 18. Saidbars 18 and legs 24 are now moved toward each other until the ends ofsaid legs 24 pass through the strap 29, and until the heads 20 of thebars 18 and the heads 25 of said legs 24 occupy positions inside theedges of the foot-board 5.

This being done, the operator manually lifts the movable portion of thedevice and folds the same over and onto the immovable portion, and in sodoing the end of the table-top 8 engages directly upon the upper end ofthe head-board 1, and the folded legs 24 and slotted bars 18 lie justinside said head-board 1 and against the foot-board 5. lVith this folding movement the transversely positioned slat 9 will be swung upwardlyand into a vertical plane, and to the position as shown in Fig. 3, thusclosing the entire side of the device opposite to the head-board 1. Asthe ends of said transverse boards are cut away to allow for the ends ofthe hinged-bars 7 and the spring-mattress 15 is flexible, it will beplainly seen how this movement of the transverse slat 9 very easilytakes place.

If, at any time, it is desired to remove the spring-mattress 15 in orderto clean the same or the interior of the device, the buttons 16 aremoved into approximately horizontal planes which will allow thetransverse bars 14, to which the spring-mattress 15 is attached, to beremoved from the blocks 12 and the notches or cutaway portions 13therein.

When the device is folded and in use as a table, the same presents avery neat and compact appearance, and the same is entirely closed on allsides and the spring-mattress or bedding that is on the interior of thedevice is not exposed to view.

A combined folding bed and table of our improved construction can bevery easily and quickly manipulated, or transformed from a bed to atable and vice versa, is compact, and possesses superior advantages inpoint of simplicity, durability and general efliciency.

What we claim is- 1. In a combined folding bed and table, a stationaryor immovable frame Work, stationary legs for said frame-work, a foldingor movable frame-work hinged to the stationary portion, a transverseboard hinged to the end of the movable or folding portion to close theend of the device when the same is in use as a table, blocks locatedupon the inner faces of the side-rails of both frame-works, buttonspivoted immediately above said blocks, transverse bars adapted to belocated upon said blocks and engaged by said buttons, a springmattresssecured to said transverse bars, slotted bars mounted for longitudinalmovement on the foot-board of the movable frame-work, and legs pivotedto the ends of said slotted bars.

2. In a combined folding bed and table, a stationary frame-work,suitable supporting legs for said frame-work, a movable or foldingframe-work hinged to said stationary frame-work, bars provided withlongitudinal slots located upon the foot-board of the folding portion,headed bolts or screws passing through the slots in said bars, headsformed integral with said bars and provided with circular apertures fromwhich extend upwardly angular notches or recesses, legs having headsthat are located adjacent the heads of the slotted bars, lugs passingthrough the circular apertures in the heads of the slotted-bars, washerslocated upon the rear sides of the blocks and heads of the slotted-bars,and bolts 01' rivets for rigidly holding the washers and blocks to theheads of the legs.

3. In a combined folding bed and table, a stationary frame-work,suitable supporting legs for said frame-Work, a folding or movableframe-work hinged to said stationary framework, a pair of slotted barsheld to and moving longitudinally along the outer face of the foot-boardof the -movable or folding portion RUDOLPH VOCKE. EWALD LUNGSTRAS.

Witnesses:

M. G. IRION, JOHN C. HIGDON.

